Thanks to the support of the Southeastern Section of the American Urological Association, Dr. Ramphis Morales-López enjoyed an eye-opening experience serving as a Resident Scholar under the guidance of Drs. Maxx Gallegos & Jonathan “Nick” Warner in Kingston, Jamaica.
Dr. Morales-López shares his experience:
“The Caribbean is my home. Having the opportunity to visit, learn and serve in Jamaica while coming from Puerto Rico has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. I was part of a one-week workshop in Kingston, Jamaica, along with reconstructive urology mentors Dr. Maxx Gallegos and Dr. Jonathan “Nick” Warner. I’m sure the lessons from my time there will last for years to come.
“We had the amazing opportunity to work with local urologists in providing much needed specialty care to a population of about 3 million Jamaicans who were eager to have a chance at a better quality of life. The doctors and medical team we met notwithstanding some evident necessities, had an incredible commitment to provide the best possible care to their patients, and I was incredibly inspired by their desire to broaden their surgical skills to have a greater reach and impact. Local residents and faculty were not only receptive to our team’s help and experience, but they also were some of the warmest and most available hosts I have ever met.
“During our first day in Kingston, we met Dr. Claudia Walter who, on a Sunday and even while being on call, picked us up at the hotel and took us to Kingston Public Hospital, where we met the possible patients we would operate on. After going on rounds, she was gracious enough to give us an on-the-spot driving tour around Kingston at every point making sure we were fed with “the best possible local Jamaican food,” and making sure we saw the different areas of Kingston. From there on, our week progressively improved and at every point we were treated with the same warmth as the day we arrived.
“Our OR days at both Kingston Public Hospital and West Indies University Hospital were of great growth for me personally. Even though my plan was to travel to Jamaica and serve at the best of my capacity within the workshop, I have immense gratitude towards Dr. Gallegos and Dr. Warner who made sure to expose this future Reconstructive Urology Fellow to diverse aspects of surgery and included me in every step of the way. We completed complex urethroplasties, penile plication surgeries, and even also completed some prostate enucleation work. I not only learned from them, but also learned about urology, Jamaica and, life from the local team who continuously shared their knowledge on medicine, history and the intricacies of urological training in the English-speaking Caribbean.
“My trip was more than great surgeries, it was an eye-opening experience into the necessities and realities of a neighbor country. Our entire team left with the feeling that we would love to return to Jamaica to continue what we started. I would like to thank IVUmed for the opportunity of making this trip and to my Southeastern Section of the AUA for giving us residents the opportunity to serve while learning. I definitely hope to continue my ties with IVUmed and their workshops and someday continue my part to Teach One, Reach Many.”